Original Item: Only One Available. This is a totally original WWII German produced inert Schützenmine 42. It comes complete with wood body and correct bakelite fuse, and measures approximately 5" x 4" x 2 ⅛". These are very hard to find, and most examples are ones that were never put into use. However, this example is definitely one that saw actual service, and definitely shows signs of service and being buried in the ground. It was possibly never armed properly, but for some reason it was able to be recovered from the ground without detonating. It then had all explosive content removed, and the fuze deactivated per BATF guidelines. NOT AVAILABLE FOR EXPORT.

Like most we have seen this example no longer bears any markings. Due to the exact size, shape and appearance it is our belief that it could have been made by Ruscheweyh A. G. Langenöls Rez. Liegnitz.

This is a known woodworking company that produced wooden products during the war, including parts for the V1 Rocket! This is definitely exactly the type of company that would have been asked to make these during the war.

Condition is good but it does show age and weathering, with the finger joints at the corners showing separation. There is also some delamination of the plywood bottom, which would have been the most exposed to moisture. Most of the small nails that hold on the top are still present, though they show oxidation with one of the sides being cracked, no longer holding the “hinge nail” in place.

A great chance to pickup a nice piece of WWII history!

The Schu-mine 42 (Shoe-mine), also known as the Schützenmine 42, was a German anti-personnel mine used during the Second World War. It consisted of a simple wooden box with a hinged lid containing a 200-gram (7.1 oz) block of cast TNT and a ZZ-42 type detonator. A slot in the lid pressed down on the striker retaining pin, sufficient pressure on the lid caused the pin to move, releasing the striker which triggered the detonator.

The mine was cheap to produce and deployed in large numbers. As an early example of a minimum metal mine, it was difficult to detect with early metal detectors - the only metal present was a small amount in the mine's detonator. During the Normandy Campaign the British resorted to using explosive detection dogs to find them.